A signal received or transmitted by a wireless communications device in a wireless communications network is affected by many factors. For example, the distance from the wireless communications device to the nearest base station in the wireless communications network has a direct bearing on the strength of the received signal. In addition, environmental parameters tend to influence the quality of the received signal. Thus, for example, constructive and destructive interference due to multipath considerations can become accentuated in urban settings.
Conventional wireless communications devices have a single antenna for receiving and transmitting communications signals. If the conventional wireless communications device is receiving poor communications signals as a result of multipath signals in a particular environment, the user may be forced to move around in a random fashion in an attempt to find a location with improved reception. With that purpose in mind, the user may also be simultaneously orienting the wireless communications device and its single antenna in a myriad of directions. However, even such undesirable remedies may be unavailable under certain conditions such as, for example, when the user is unable to move freely or to perform burdensome tasks such as orienting the wireless communications device.
Conventional communications devices can also employ the antenna in a mobile assisted hand off (MAHO). As the wireless communications device moves between cells in wireless communications network, the received signal from the current cell may become weak. To assist in determining when to perform a hand off, the wireless communications device may monitor signals, such as the pilot signal, from other cell base stations. When the wireless communications device identifies another cell having a more desirable signal quality, then the wireless communications device may request that the network be transferred to the more desirable cell. Thus, for example, the conventional communications device may switch from a frequency f1 in, for example, the personal communications services (PCS) band of the first cell to another frequency f2 that is in the PCS band of the second cell. Such hand offs from one frequency in one cell to another frequency in another cell within the same communications band provide very limited options toward the goal of optimizing communications signals and are only provided in the area between cells. For example, a conventional wireless device operating in the PCS band may assist in performing hand offs between PCS base stations. However, if the current PCS signal fades and a stronger PCS pilot is not found, then a call may be dropped.